Latest News From California Summer Fruit

California table grape acreage steady
California table grape acreage steady

California table grape acreage held steady in 2020 compared with the previous year, according to new statistics from the California Department of Agriculture.

Good crop of California stone fruit expected
Good crop of California stone fruit expected

California’s peach, nectarine and plums crop should offer good volume and strong quality this year, according to Levon Ganajian, retail relations director for Trinity Fruit Sales  Co., Fresno, Calif.

Plenty of summer fruit available from Golden State
Plenty of summer fruit available from Golden State

California summer fruit grower-shippers traditionally credit weather with having a say in what kind of season they’ll have.

California fruit suppliers anticipate plenty for summer
California fruit suppliers anticipate plenty for summer

California summer fruit suppliers are anticipating a brisk May-August season in 2019, with plenty of supplies to fill orders. That is, once it gets going.

California suppliers expect plenty of fruit for summer
California suppliers expect plenty of fruit for summer

California summer fruit suppliers are anticipating a brisk May-August season in 2019, with plenty of supplies to fill orders.

Flavor Tree expects huge growth for Verry Cherry plums
Flavor Tree expects huge growth for Verry Cherry plums

Hanford, Calif.-based Flavor Tree Fruit Co. LLC now is focusing on specialty items for the California summer fruit deal, and perhaps its biggest is its Verry Cherry plum – a high-brix fruit cross between various cherry and plum varieties, said Maurice Cameron, president.

California stone fruit running later this year
California stone fruit running later this year

The summer fruit season in California is expected to start later and lighter this year, aside from berries already going strong.

California melon crop looking good
California melon crop looking good

Conditions seem to be shaping up well for a successful California melon crop this summer, grower-shippers say.

The Santa Maria and Watsonville districts should be kicking into normal strawberry volume by May 1, says Cindy Jewell, vice president of marketing for Watsonville-based California Giant Berry Farms. Above are some monterey variety strawberries in Santa Maria in late April.
Berries plentiful for summer holidays

It’s berry season, and California growers say ample supplies of all kinds of berries should be available for the spring/summer holidays, including Mother’s Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.

Plant City, Fla.-based Harvest CROO Robotics is testing a mechanical strawberry harvester prototype in Southern California this spring.
California fruit growers eye mechanization

As labor issues continue to pose a challenge for producers of California summer fruit, many growers are hopeful that a solution may lie in technology.

Organic blueberries are a commodity that is gaining ground when it comes to organic sales.
Summertime brings plenty of options with blueberries, grapes, cherries

Organic grapes, berries and even some cherries are becoming increasingly popular summertime favorites.

California Summer Fruit business updates
California Summer Fruit business updates

Business updates on companies featured in The Packer's California Summer Fruit section.

The Diamond Pearl variety nectarines shown in mid-April at Valhalla Sales & Marketing should be ready for harvest in late June, owner David Stone says.
California tree fruit back to normal kickoff date

California tree fruit growers say they’ll be starting a little later this year than last year, returning to a more normal kickoff date.

Michael Strambi, director of farming and cultural practices for Sun World International LLC, Bakersfield, Calif., visits a vineyard of the company’s proprietary Autumn Crisp grapes in mid-April. Sun World will kick off its season in mid-May with Superior Seedless grapes.
California table grapes bloom late but quality remains great

This year’s California table grape deal may get a slightly later start than last year’s, but growers say the quality of the fruit should be worth the wait.

Brooks cherries, shown in an orchard at The Flavor Tree Co. LLC in Hanford, Calif., in mid-April, were expected to begin harvesting in late April, says Garrett Quade, sales associate.
Strong season anticipated for Golden State fruit

Most California summer fruit commodities will start shipping a bit later than last year’s unusually early kickoff date, but water was plentiful this season following a multi-year drought, so quality should be good, gr